Rules
by Dancingqueen4Life
Summary: Darcy has a few simple rules, simple things, really. But it's the most important one that becomes the easiest to break. Please read and review.


**So I was looking for some more Clintasha stories on AO3, and I stumbled across this ship, and I don't know if it's just because there were sue really well-written stories or what, but this is suddenly my new favorite ship. So naturally I decided to to write a story for them. Let's see what happens, shall we?**

* * *

I have lots of rules for myself, things that I try to live by every day. They're simple really, and they've helped me survive thus far.  
*V-necks are great, especially when you have the cleavage to back them up. (Seriously, guys will do anything for you if they even get a hint that you have boobs.)  
*When going out drinking, guys buy more drinks if they can see your boobs better. (I'm not joking. If you take the girls out drinking, let 'em breathe a little. You probably won't have to pay for drinks all night.)  
*Good bras are worth the money. (Never underestimate the value of good support. Your back will thank you.)  
*After a certain point, push-up bras are a stupid idea. (Basically 8th grade for me. There's a point where boobs falling out is off-putting, not helpful.)  
*Never go anywhere without a taser. And a back up taser. And a back up back up taser. (Case in point- Thor. Need I say more?)

Simple rules, really. Of course, there is one more, one that is slightly more obvious than the rest, and infinitely more important.  
*Dating coworkers is a bad idea. (Unless you want awkward situations at the office. Also unless you're Tony and Pepper, because let's face it, no one else is crazy enough to deal with that man.)  
So why was that the rule so easily broken? Oh, that's right. My coworkers are superheroes.

* * *

It wasn't really my fault. Honestly. Well, maybe a little, but not really.  
How could I be held responsible for Bruce freaking Banner being as cute as he is? Seriously, not my fault.

It started about two months after I started working for SHIELD. I was essentially a glorified labs assistant, since Jane refused to work for them without me. And I'd graduated, so I actually needed a job. But this time, I was getting paid. And I had a security clearance. And I got to keep my taser. So I wasn't complaining.  
I'd been assigned to help both Jane and Dr. Banner- Bruce- but for the life of me, I couldn't ever seem to find Dr.- Bruce. I'd seen him once while walking down the hall, but by the time I tried to introduce myself, he was halfway down the hall and didn't hear me.  
So I kept working for Jane, and since Bruce was almost never in his lab, I decided to organize and color code everything.  
But after two months, SHILED was threatening to make me a handler, saying that the scientists didn't need me anymore. So one day, I'd had enough.

I stormed into the lab and found someone hunched over a table. Instantly assuming it was Tony, I decided to do a little ranting.  
"Tony! I've had just about the worst day ever. You want to know why? Never mind, I'll just tell you. Jane is off with Thor, which means I have to hunt through her office to find the report SHILED needs, which would be fine, if she would actually keep the damn organizational system I set up for her. I still haven't met my other boss, despite the fact that I completely redid his office to make it more efficient. And now SHIELD wants to make me a handler, which means I've been forced to deal with stupid agents all day."  
When I finished, the man in front of me turned around, and I realized that it wasn't Tony. Not even close apparently.  
"Oh, um, hi." I said, mentally congratulating myself for the semi-coherent greeting.  
"Hello. I'm sorry you're having a bad day, but uh, who are you?"  
"Darcy Lewis." I said and held my hand out for him to shake. "And you are?"  
"Dr. Banner."  
"Oh. So you're my other boss."  
"Am I? I thought you worked for Dr. Foster."  
"And you, according to SHILED." I said with a shrug.  
Dr. Banner looked slightly bashful, and goddamn, he was cute. Like super cute.  
"So you redid my lab?"  
"Oh, uh, yeah. I just thought it would be easier."  
Dr. Banner nodded. "It was, once I figured it all out."  
"Oh, I thought I left a diagram."  
"You did. But it managed to get thrown away."  
"Oh. Well, it's nice to have met you, but I'll let you get back to what you were doing. I have to go hunting."  
Dr. Banner nodded and gave me a look that really shouldn't have been as cute as it was.  
I turned and hurried away, and paused to congratulate myself for not tripping like an idiot. When I got to Jane's lab, I pull my phone out and shot off a quick text.  
_I did something stupid._  
Jane replied a few moments later while I was looking for her report to give to newly-still-alive Agent Coulson. _What did you do?  
I broke a rule.  
One of the boob ones? Cause that was bound to happen.  
_I rolled my eyes before responding. _Coworker rule.  
Oh, Darcy. Who is it?  
_I sighed before answering, knowing it would go one of two ways. _Dr. Banner.  
Oh, sweetie._

Yup, basically my thoughts. I was well and truly fucked. But again, not my fault he's so cute.

* * *

After my initial run in with Dr. Banner, I managed to see him more and more often, and slowly got him accustomed to my methods of dealing with scientists. The first few days when I brought him food or tea, he wouldn't touch them, which was when I realized I'd have to force it on him, just like Jane.  
And speaking of Jane, she definitely wasn't helping. She kept giving me sympathetic looks and asking how I was getting along with Bruce.  
But after two weeks, I managed to get Bruce- as I now called him, just because Dr. Banner was formal, and I don't really do formal- on a semi-regular eating schedule. And then one day, I brushed my fingers against his shoulders- completely by accident, I promise. And he flinched. It was nothing big, more like a twitch really. So then I decided to make it my mission to give him some human contact everyday. Even if it wasn't really what I had in mind, but something told me that jumping him and riding him on the floor of the lab wasn't the way to go. Oh well, we'd work up to it.

After that, Bruce and I both got used to the little touches, brushing his fingers when I handed him things, squeezing his shoulders form time to time, and the one day I decided to give him a hug, because he needed it. As the weeks and months progressed, I tried to flirt with him, which was when I noticed that he was completely clueless, which broke my heart, because how can someone as adorable as him be so unused to people flirting with him? I mean, really.  
But he was completely clueless. So I decided to fix it.

* * *

In the end, I suppose I have the Hulk to thank.  
Some villain thought it would be a good idea to attack New York again. Needless to say, the Avengers took care of him. But not before the Hulk spotted me.

I had been walking in a park not far from the Tower when the attack started, and decided to make my way back, just in case. I was halfway to the tower when something grabbed me and pulled me into the air, and after a brief second of panic, I realized it was the Hulk.  
"Uh, hi there, big guy." I said as he carried me toward the tower.  
"Darcy stay in tower." he demanded.  
"I was on my way back." I said easily.  
"Darcy too slow. Darcy get hurt."  
"I was fine, big guy."  
"Hulk not want Darcy get hurt."  
"Aww, thanks. I don't want you to get hurt either."  
"Hulk not get hurt. Hulk strong. Darcy puny human."  
"I'm not puny. I have a taser."  
"Puny human stinger."  
I couldn't help the laugh that escaped, and it probably wasn't the smartest thing to do to laugh at the Hulk while he was carrying me, but whatever.  
He just gave me a look of confusion, and it really shouldn't have been as adorable as it was.  
When we arrived back at the tower, he set me down and gently poked my back to nudge me toward the door.  
"Thank you." I said with a smile.  
"Hulk like Darcy. Darcy not get hurt."  
"I'll do my best, big guy."  
He just continued to stare at me, and I realized he wasn't going to leave until I was inside, so I turned and walked back into the building to wait with Jane for the team to get back.

When they did, I ran at Bruce and threw my arms around him, smiling when I caught him off guard. Although, he was probably more surprised when I pulled out of the hug and crushed my lips to his. When we broke apart, I was aware of the team staring at us, but I couldn't tear my eyes away form Bruce.  
"I, uh, Darce, what?"  
I laughed. "You're cute when you're flustered. I mean, you're cute all the time, but even more so when you're flustered."  
Bruce just looked at me and nodded, and I couldn't help laughing. I was about to spell it out to him, but Tony cut in.  
"She likes you, Brucey."  
Bruce looked back at me, and I nodded sheepishly. "I kinda do. Like a lot."  
Bruce just nodded and continued to stare at me. Just when I thought he wasn't capable of anything else, he grabbed me around the waist and pulled me into his body and kissed me thoroughly.  
When we pulled apart again, Bruce smiled at me and leaned down to brush his lips against my cheek and whispered into my ear.  
"I like you too. Like a lot."  
I smiled at him and wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him tightly.

* * *

So really, while I don't advocate breaking rules (well, ok, maybe I do, but that's not the point.) it turned out pretty well for me.  
"Hey, gorgeous." Bruce said as I walked into his lab, and I couldn't help the smile on my face, even now.  
"Hey, handsome." I said as I leaned in to kiss him softly.  
"We still on for tonight?" He asked as he pulled me onto his lap and snuck a bite of my sandwich.  
"Assuming I can pry you away from science, yes we are."  
"I'll pick you up at 6:30."  
"Bruce, we live together. We've lived together for years now."  
"I know. But I still like saying it."  
I rolled my eyes and nudged him playfully with my elbow.  
"Sorry to interrupt you, Dr. and Mrs. Banner, but Caitlyn is looking for you. Shall I send her in here?" JARVIS asked.  
I sighed and rested my head on Bruce's shoulder while he gave JARVIS the affirmative. A minute later, our daughter bounced into the lab.  
"Hi, Mommy. Hi, Daddy."  
"Hi, Caity." I replied and stood up to pull her into my arms.  
She rested her head in the crook of my neck, and I couldn't keep being annoyed that she'd interrupted us. Bruce held his arms out for us and I returned to my seat on his lap so he could hug us both.  
As we sat there together, I really couldn't be annoyed with myself for breaking one of my rules. After all, it gave me all of this, didn't it?

* * *

**Oh, look... I gave them a kid... oops? If you're going to yell at me about Bruce being incapable of having biological children, they adopted her. If you're not going to yell at me, then she's 100% biologically theirs... so yeah. Pick whichever scenario you like better.  
Reviews are wonderful. You should write one. :)**


End file.
